Succulover, do not apologize to me. If I felt I needed to apologize for every time I had a wrong notion, I would have used up all the ink in cyberspace. The internet would not be possible. I have so many wrong IDs that RoRo's eyes are permanently stuck in a roll, as in she probably rolls her eyes when she reads my mad-stab attempts at identification. brewerbonsai, sometimes the larger plants do not root from cuttings. I have found that plants like Notocactus root much easier than Espostoas, Oreocereus and others. Old Mammillarias might not, but the same species somewhat younger do. If the cutting has gotten hard (time to stick a pin in it?), and no roots are evident, then re-rooting is unlikely. Sometimes rooting waits until spring, so if the plant is still soft, there is hope.

Oh no....I meant a month piecing it, not the entire process. When you get to the quilting or tying part, that's something else again. I wish I could say I don't have a desire to do a great number of quilts, but I'd be lying. I want to do almost every one I see and this forum isn't much more than enabling me. LOL. I am learning patience, and it's coooooooooooooooming slowly. I know in my heart that if I had taken up quilting just ten years ago, it would not have stuck. I happened on it through serendipity at the exact moment of my life were I make room in my day, no matter how busy, to go into my little world and work on my quilts. I can't NOT do something with something I don't like. I have to do SOMETHING with it, so the effort wasn't wasted, and that something should not be throwing good money after bad, by obliging myself months more of distasteful work. I do love this quilt, sigh, and that's the problem, it was just that for once, I listened to my little voice who said that I wasn't likely going to finish it. The pillowslips ....well I can see the end of the tunnel almost from the beginning and I'll enjoy them. I just wondered if other people got epiphanies about a quilt and what makes them decide it isn't for them.

I feel like I am re-living the original poster's nightmare. Very glad that people have continued to post and lots of great info here. In my case, my tooth was tender to the touch, seemed to have shifted or was a little loose, and the dentist just said, "you want to try to save it right?" He did not offer his opinion on whether the chances were good to save it or not. ASK QUESTIONS - THESE DENTISTS DO KNOW. He had done a root canal for me the year before without problems but this time was so different with the above symptoms. He did not try to get a large area of my mouth numb, did it in stages, caused me panic attacks, aggravated the nerve with the last shot and when I thought he was going to give more pain killer, he started drilling, which for the first minute or two, maybe, was tolerable, then the severe pain started. I am not a screamer, but wish I had let it loose - maybe he would have stopped - I swear it was torture with comments that it would be over after just a little more and a little more and finally just after the filling because he could not even begin a crown prep and had to see if the tooth would rebound. I cried off and on all day! and suffered most of the weekend every time the pain killers wore off alternating between ibuprofen and Tylenol with and without Vicodin. Swelling started on Sunday, got him to call me in an antibiotic but going to travel back to my home town 60 miles away hopefully tomorrow to get my old dentist to pull it. I can't live like this. I did call my old dentist at home in desperation - just needed her to say she would try to work me in. She said a tooth sensitive to the touch like this is considered a "hot tooth" and it is not recommended to try to save it. Hope this helps someone in the future to avoid this type of pain. If I don't stay on top of it with pain medications (now taking Alleve at prescription doses in hopes of a little more time to sleep) I am in severe pain from tooth root through my jaw, TMJ and ear. I hope this saves someone else some suffering!

Talia -- I'm so glad you decided against the firm! I didn't want to offer an opinion before as I have no experience with a kitchen reno in your budget. Mine was a relatively modest $20k - no structural work but I replaced every single thing. The one thing we do have in common though is that I didn't have time to manage my project either -- but I didn't have a choice, having a "more than full time" job/career. Yet when I fantasized about having a GC, I realized, "who am I kidding? I'm gonna be all over this no matter who is in charge! It's my home!" I did luck out though, finding the best licensed, insured, experienced carpenter, contractor -- George -- I could have found through asking around a LOT. Amazing, really. As the "GC" I hired the electrician, plumber and floor tile guy, (all referrals) but not without consulting George, my carpenter first who had a ton of experience and knowledge of other trades who checked their costs first for me, helped me tweak and negotiate, etc. George helped me with my lighting plan, a rather extensive one, for me and then he came here with me and "supervised" to make sure it was done right and according to plan. When I couldn't get out of a work meeting and get home for my granite install, George jumped in and then fielded a major problem with the island -- cut wrong size -- fabricator error. He called the fab and quickly resolved the problem and a new island top was put in the following week. And George? He removed and demo'd old cabs, installed the new ones and moldings and trim, cleared all trash and did cleanup, made me a second pantry with new door and shelves, put in new sink and faucet, new range and micro, new dishwasher and fridge, moved a misplaced chandelier (my fault) and patched/painted ceiling hole, kicked out the sloppy painter and found me a new one, patched kitchen floor after I decided to move a radiator a month after floor had been done, added new saddles... and I'm sure I missed a few things... which came to about $2,500. I gave him an additional $500.00 which he finally did take... not just for his extra supervision of others (that he throughly enjoyed doing and did so well with a very gentle touch) and jumping over here when I needed him and answering my 1,000+ questions about everything, but for caring about this job as if it were his own home. (I also gave him a like-new circular saw that I used only once some months ago and have been too scared to use again.) I also gave him 2 referrals that have turned into good jobs for him. Really, I feel like I owe him so much more! I think there are some real GEMS out there at reasonable cost that just need to be found. Of course with your budget and plans, you need more than a lone super-dedicated carpenter, but I'm hoping you'll find a firm or KD or GC or all three that will be your "George!" Note to Lovestocook -- I found 2 great Mauviel pieces at Home Goods! More great gems at...